Combining ability of six wheat genotypes and their F1 diallel crosses for nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and related traits under 50 per cent nitrogen condition

Breeding of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars with improved adaptation to low-N fertilization has gained importance worldwide nowadays. The present investigation aimed to identify the best general combiners and parental combinations for recombination breeding under low nitrogen condition to improve the nitrogen use efficiency. Six parents and fifteen F1s were evaluated under 50 per cent nitrogen condition using randomized complete block design with three replications. In general, means of NUE of the three parents GW 322, 2 WYCYT 34 and K 9107 were higher in magnitude than those of the three other parents, UAS 323, RAJ 4248 and C306.